Judy Nolan

24 Sewing notions you’ll never have to buy plus 6 sewing time-savers

May 192013

I was looking at my sewing bookshelf recently and realized I have many books geared toward making sewing easier. There is quite a market, in fact, for books containing tips that mothers of yesteryear passed on to their daughters, or for advice about so-called modern sewing techniques. Staring at me in the face are some older-but-still-relevant titles, such as 501 Sewing Secrets: Tips, Treasures & Trivia, 501 Sewing Hints: From the Viewers of Sewing with Nancy, and Sewing with Nancy’s Favorite Hints.

Don’t even get me started on the list of books that tout sewing notions! But here’s one book that is really good, and yes, it will put a dent in your pocketbook (the notions, not the book!):

If you own a sewing machine, you’ll get more use out of it if you know how to use its attachments. But just in case you don’t have enough of those, you can learn about others through The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook and The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible.

Seriously—all joking aside—these books are useful, especially if you read them before you start doing things the hard way. Did you notice, however, how quickly you can spend a small fortune on sewing notions and accessories?

While I was eating dinner the other night, my conversation with my husband revolved around ordinary household objects you can use in the sewing room instead of purchased gadgets. Okay, I’ll be honest here—I talked, and John listened. But here is the list of time-saving (and inexpensive) items most people have in their homes to accomplish tasks for which special sewing notions have been designed.

To clean the sole plate of your iron, just heat your iron and run it over a piece of wax paper. Fold the wax paper, and repeat as necessary.
Need tracing paper? Use wax paper. You can fuse the sheets together with a heated iron if you need your paper to be wider.
It’s not necessary to buy a spool holder for cone or specialty thread. Just drop your spool in a coffee mug behind your sewing machine, and thread your machine.
The fastest way to pin a pattern to fabric is to use fabric weights. But don’t buy them; use soup cans.
Transparent tape is an excellent straight seam guide, especially when you insert a zipper. Just adhere the tape to your fabric.
Need to cut a curved edge? Use a dinner plate and your rotary cutter.
You don’t need a cording foot to guide a cord beneath the sewing machine needle. Just tape part of a drinking straw to your sewing table, and feed the cord through the tube.
Curved hair clips are excellent to use as hemming pins.
Don’t have a hem gauge? Just cut a strip of manila file folder the depth of your hem, fold over your fabric, insert the manila file folder strip, and iron away.
Clear nail polish, brushed onto the ends of ribbon, is a great fray check. Once upon a time, that’s how we ladies stopped the runs in our pantyhose.
Clean out the lint from your bobbin case with a small cosmetic brush or even an ear swab. It works much better than the stiff brush that comes with your sewing machine, or the one you can buy at the fabric store.
A narrow strip of paper cut from a folded sticky note or index card is an inexpensive and readily available threader for yarn or decorative threads. Obviously, use a needle with a larger eye.
Use a wooden kebab skewer to poke out fabric corners.
Can’t find your tracing wheel? Who cares? Draw pattern symbols on mailing labels, cut them out and adhere them in place. Or just use old-fashioned tailor’s tacks—stitch a loose X in place by hand.
Paper clips work well as emergency pins. Color code them for pattern notches or other pattern symbols.
If you don’t have a fabric tube turner, just push the outside end of the tube to the inside with a closed safety pin, a bobby pin, a wooden kebab skewer, or even a pencil, if the tube is wide enough.
A quick-and-easy stitching guide is a stack of sticky notes. Just adhere the pad to your sewing machine bed where you want your stitching line to be, and push the fabric up against it.
If you are couching multiple threads in place and need to keep them separated, tape a plastic fork or comb perpendicular to the edge of your table, and just run the threads through the tines. Keep the balls or spools in coffee mugs on the floor!
A balloon is a great needle grabber when you can’t pull the needle through the fabric.
Don’t have a Hera marker? Just use the blunt side of a butter knife.
You’re sewing a shoulder seam and you don’t have any stabilizer tape. Just sew over a length of fabric selvedge. It doesn’t ravel or stretch.
If you need a temporary, raised seam guide, just slide a rubber band over the free arm of your sewing machine where the stitching line is supposed to be.
If you need a vertical spool holder, insert a wooden dowel or Tinker Toys rod in a recessed hole that is often a part of your sewing machine.
A temporary but effective ironing board is a cotton bath towel, folded to the desired thickness.

Here are 6 sewing tips that will save you time in the long run:

Instead of stitching two parallel lines in preparation for fabric gathering, just sew a wide zig-zig stitch over buttonhole thread.
Save your vacuum cleaner: keep a lint or pet roller near your sewing machine to pick up not only threads but also runaway pins.
You’ll spend less time re-fusing interfacing to fabric if you heat up the fabric first. It creates a better bond.
Spend less time analyzing which is the wrong side of your fabric by simply marking it with tape.
Hang fabric pieces on hangers between sewing sessions to keep them out of the way.
Need to cut out the same shape again and again? Trace it onto freezer paper, cut out the shape, and fuse it into place using your iron. Cut out your shape, peel off the freezer paper, and re-fuse as a tracing shape as many times as you need.

For more ideas, you can buy the books I described above . . . or read the comments from the readers of this post. Add your own alternate sewing notion ideas or time-saving sewing tips below.

Mental health disclaimer: I’m a gadget junkie, and own more sewing notions and sewing machine attachments than I can count.

All the flowers of all the tomorrows

Buying Handmade, Giveaways

May 172013

Congratulations to Zuda Gay Pease, who represents Comment #3 and is today’s winner of the Clover Flower Frills Templates giveaway. To enter the giveaway, participants were asked to described a childhood craft they enjoyed.

“We also had a summer program at the grade school when I was growing up,” says Zuda. “It was all sorts of fun! I remember one time they let us pick out several rolls of crepe paper to take home to decorate our bicycles and bring our bikes back the next day for a parade and judging. I am sure that most of the crafts I learned in childhood I have used in multiple ways as an adult. Mama taught me to sew at a very young age. Daddy was often painting or doing some sort of project he would teach me. I always played with mud outside and play dough in the house.”

Zuda has sold well over 1,200 beautiful polymer clay flowers in her Etsy shop, ZudaGay, although at the moment she is taking a creative break. I have never seen two flowers of hers that are alike. Below is one of the flowers that Zuda has sold.

As I read through the other responses to this giveaway, I was struck by the fact that most people develop an enthusiasm for working with their hands quite early in their lives.

“I learned to embroider at the age of five,” says LeAnn of Pasque Flower Creations. “I started embroidering dish towels, and then graduated to pillowcases. I had my own little hoop and sewing basket. I still have the basket. My mom and grandmother thought that if I kept my hands busy, I might stop biting my fingernails. That part didn’t work. I still bite my nails. But I gained a lifelong love of needlework and sewing.” Today LeAnn sells what she calls “fun and functional” fabric creations in her Etsy shop. These include chevron-style oven mitts, bags and totes, baby bibs and blankets, and much more. This patriotic bunting by LeAnn in red, white and blue would definitely jazz up a family 4^th of July barbecue setting.

Duni designs, sews and sells feminine sleepwear and clutches in her Etsy shop, Peridot by Duni, using romantic, nostalgic fabrics . She also sells the same type of fabrics in her other Etsy shop, Duni’s Studio Craft & Design. “One thing I really loved doing as a child (apart from reading),” says Duni, “was making stamps from potatoes.” I especially like this sweet little clutch in Duni’s shop.

Edi of Memories for Life, who opened her shop on Etsy to sell personalized scrapbooks, now sells laser-engraved wood plaques, books, albums, wedding invitations, jewelry and many other types of items. Although the majority of her business these days lies in the laser engraving area, she still loves paper crafting, to which she was introduced as a child. “I learned how to use rubber stamps and began my journey into paper crafting through 4-H. Definitely my favorite childhood craft!” says Edi. The wedding album below can be personalized by Edi with a bridal couple’s names.

Paige of Oh Nostalgia Designs on Etsy, who makes jewelry, says, “I actually learned how to make jewelry when I was a kid, and now selling it is my job! Never would have expected that back in the day.” This sweet vintage-inspired locket necklace by Paige definitely evokes the past.

Margaret of Splendid Little Stars, who hand dyes her own fabrics and sells beautiful scarves, hair scrunchies and T-shirts featuring her dyes, says, “Your post reminds me of where I learned to make so many crafts—summer camp and Girl Scouts. I loved crafts! One of the very cool things we did in Girl Scouts was to color with crayons on kimonos made from old sheets by our mothers. We then wore these to a Japanese restaurant where we had to take off our shoes and sit at a low table. Maybe I’ll write a post about this sometime since I have photos. One Dad was a professional photographer and his photos, along with an article, appeared in our newspaper.” This gorgeous China silk scarf made by Margaret has hand-rolled and hand-sewn edges.

Sharla of Beaded Tail says, modestly, “It’s wonderful there were programs that introduced you to crafty things! I used to go to some, too, but have always had the perfectionist gene, so found them very frustrating. My mom is very crafty, though, so I’m glad I was exposed to it and eventually able to be somewhat creative!” Sharla designs and weaves beautiful beaded jewelry. This caterpillar-woven purple and brown bracelet, made by Sharla, is simply stunning.

Peggy, who designs and sells jewelry and baskets in her Etsy shop, Artistry Unleashed, used to make clover necklaces. “I loved doing that as a child. Now we mow our lawns so close–hard to get enough long-stemmed clovers!” Peggy has come a long way from clover with this delicate necklace in pink, lavender, peach, rose and pale green pearls. The necklace sells with a pair of matching earrings.

Johana writes that she loves flowers and has been using them in her crafts since she can remember. You can follow her enthusiasm for crafts in general on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/jovargas5.

Have you ever heard the saying, “All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today?” It might also be said that the flowers of today were grown in the seeds of yesterday. Thank you to all of the folks who shared their stories in my Clover Flower Frills Templates giveaway. Obviously the creative people they are today started their journey long ago!

Clover Flower Frill Templates giveaway

Giveaways, Paper Crafts, Tutorials

May 142013

Decades ago, when the elementary schools in my hometown of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin organized summer recreational activities, I was introduced to many types of arts and crafts. If it weren’t for those programs, in fact, I suspect I might never have learned about many of the crafts I enjoy today. We wove lanyard keychains, pounded and rolled clay to make animals, filled easel paper with poster paint drawings, soaked reeds in water to weave baskets, and paper machêd balloons with strips of newspaper and paste to form bowls. Between one craft activity and the next, we played softball, freeze tag and box hockey; held tourneys for ping pong. chess and checkers, and acted out skits. We made homemade kites, threw water balloons at each other, and played hop scotch and four-square. One day there was a corn roast after we soaked the cobs in barrels of water and wrapped them in foil to cook over hot coals. My mother, who was a stay-at-home photographer who specialized in retouching negatives for wedding photos, likely needed some quiet time to get her work done. She sent the two older kids, my brother and me, to the summer school playground while the younger kids, eight and ten years younger than me, stayed home. She got something out of the arrangement, and so did my brother and I. They were glorious summers, ones I probably would not have had a chance to enjoy, for left to my own devices, I would have sat at home all summer and read books.

Left to right: Mark, Monica (in my mother’s lap), Rick and me. This photo predates the summer playground years by a couple of years, but it is one of the few photos in which all four children in my family are pictured.

One summer we made hundreds of crepe paper flowers for a 4th of July playground float. We folded layers of crepe paper squares into quarters, and then folded each half of the quarter once more. We rounded off the open, unfolded edge with scissors, cut a tiny hole into the tip, and threaded a pipe cleaner into the hole to form stamens on one end, and a flower stem on the other. Then we wrapped the flower “stem” with green floral tape to secure everything together. With our fingers, we fluffed out the crepe paper folds. In just a short while, we had a beautiful flower that was easy to assemble.

That folding method—taking a square and folding it into eight parts, then rounding it to form a scalloped circle—is the principle behind Clover’s Flower Frill Templates, which come in three sizes: Mini, Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Each package comes with two templates of each size, presumably so that when you wear one out, you have a spare. I am not certain why Clover did not laminate these card stock templates the same way that maps are laminated for durability, but I am guessing that this is their way of anticipating future sales!

Clover Flower Frill templates come in Mini (2″), Extra Small (2-1/2*), Small (3″), Medium (4″), Large (5″), and Extra Large (6″).

So, how do the templates work? The instructions that come with the tool are the same for every size. You cut squares of fabric (such as muslin, batik, organza, lightweight crepe, lightweight satin or Georgette), medium weight paper (no heavier than 24 lb.), tissue paper or basically any crisp but not-too-thick material. Fold your squares in half. Ahead of time, thread a needle with some strong thread at least 18 inches long, and tie a knot on the end. Then:

Fold the template in half with the folded fabric sandwiched between both halves. The white half of the template should be on one side of the “sandwich,” and the colored half of the template should be on the other side.
Fold the template in half again, with the number “2″ sections facing each other.
Fold the number “3″ sections on one side together so that they face each other.
Fold the number “3″ sections on the other side together so that they also face each other.
You are now finished folding, and should have a wedge of fabric with one curved edge. With fabric scissors or pinking shears, cut the fabric along the curved edge of the wedge, making sure not to cut the template.
Insert the threaded needle into the point of the wedge, and pull the thread all the way through the fabric, leaving a few inches for tying later.
Remove the template.
Repeat Steps 1 through 8 as many times as you wish (Clover suggests 15 to 25 times), adding wedges to the thread according to your personal preference to form the petals of a Frill Flower.
Remove the needle and tie the two ends of the thread together with a double knot.
Open up the fabric folds to form your flower. If you like, add a bead, pearl, brad or button to the center of your flower.

If you prefer visual instructions, you can view the Clover video below.

Here is a mini gratitude journal I embellished with a cream paper flower using the Clover Mini Flower Frill Template. I originally tried to use lace fabric, but didn’t like the results.

The instructions called for squares measuring 2.75 x 2.75 inches, but after I cut my paper, I crumpled it to give the petals a more distressed look. Then I uncrumpled the paper, folded it in half, and continued with the template instructions. I threaded 10 “petals” onto a length of buttonhole thread, then cut a circle of heavyweight stabilizer that I glued onto the back of the flower using Fabri-Tac™ Permanent Adhesive. This glue is a great alternative to using a glue gun, especially since the adhesive is flexible when dry. I sewed a button to the center of the flower, then opened up each petal and fluffed it a bit. Then I walked over to my kitchen sink, got my fingertips wet, and drizzled water liberally over the flower. I crumpled the paper a little more, opened it up again, and then dried the flower with a heat gun. Yes, there are lots of steps to this process, but it was fun because I didn’t really know what the outcome would be.

You can use Flower Frills not only for paper crafting, but also for hair ornaments, corsages, wedding decorations, home decor and more. You can visit the Clover site to download project templates found HERE.

Making these flowers was definitely an adventure. I suspect every flower turns out differently, and that’s part of what makes it fun for me. It was so much fun, in fact, that I’d like to share some of that enjoyment with a giveaway that includes a complete set of Clover Flower Frill Templates in all available sizes. To enter the giveaway, tell me in the comments below about a craft you learned and enjoyed during childhood. I will announce the winner this Friday, May 17th.

Darth Vader and a few books later . . .

Blogging Business Artisans, Challenges, Current Projects, Paper Crafts

May 112013

Exactly one week ago, we experienced an unlikely bout of early-May snow. This last week, in contrast, has been a study in what you’d call a typical Iowa spring. The day lilies are sprouting everywhere at the edge of our back yard, the lawn is sprinkled with dandelions here and there, and the grass is long enough for John to mow it for the first time since last fall. And it has been raining either a lot or a little every other day, saturating the ground with moisture and the creeks with water. Behind our border of day lilies are some woods, and behind the woods there is a steep drop-off where the Walnut Creek flows. Next to the creek is a walking path, where John and I have been strolling every day, with or without an umbrella. As we crossed a footbridge on Thursday evening, we were astounded by how much the rain had increased the water level in the creek. A few years ago, an early summer rainstorm caused trees to pull away from the creek banks and flow downstream, taking out the bridge on which I stood when I shot this 20-second film.

Spring weather inspires spring projects, so during the last few days I have been making good progress on the little books of which I shared a glimpse in a previous post. It took me three days of sanding the edges of chipboard covers before I got through my stack. Yesterday, when I started sneezing in the middle of the task, it occurred to me that perhaps I should be wearing a mask to catch the dust particles. The mask did work, but I think John made a good point when he said I looked like Darth Vader.

My sanding efforts yielded exactly eleven gratitude journals, nine password record books and three blank books. Next comes embellishment of the covers, a process I enjoy immensely. Below is just a portion of the books.

If you have ever browsed through the items in my Mister PenQuin shop, then you know that I like to embellish my books with flowers. In fact, I like to embellish almost anything with flowers! Here is how a few of the books turned out with floral embellishments. I still need to tie some ribbon to the Owire binding to put the final touch on the books, but tomorrow’s another day.

Keep an eye out for my next post, which will be a giveaway related to flower-making.

Celebrating our 34th anniversary

Memories

May 072013

John and I celebrated our 34th anniversary this past Sunday with a visit to the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where our son joined us. The weather was perfect—sunny and breezy with temperatures in the mid-70s—although, ironically, we spent the day indoors, looking at fish the names of which I cannot recall. Between the three of us, it is really John who has a deep and abiding interest in water creatures and all things aquatic, although David is not far behind him. I appreciate the diversity of aquatic life, but if you really want to know in detail what we looked at, John is the best person to give you a good rundown. If we had an Aquarium in Des Moines, I believe John would volunteer to be a visitor guide.

Because the lighting in the Shedd Aquarium is more suited to aquatic life than people, I must admit that of all the photos I took, this outdoors photo was my best one.

Our $49.95 Total Experience Pass, which we purchased online, included a pre-selected 4-D animated feature called “Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs” that had absolutely nothing to do with the Aquarium but probably gave parents of small children a sitting break. Much more enjoyable and relevant to the visit was an aquatic show in the Abbott Oceanarium that featured beluga whales and and dolphins. In the photo below, a member of the audience was invited to don a pair of rubber boots and come down to pet the dolphins.

Later, as we took the Beluga Trail to catch a below-water level view of the same beluga whales, we observed the whales playing with a square rectangle to which brushes had been attached. The whales roll onto their backs to get a good scratch from the brushes, but it is apparently also a cooperative playing toy for them, since they like to slide it along the tank floor.

John was most interested in the penguins. A small segment of the aquatic show was devoted to them, and there was a single tank where penguins swam in the water and guarded their nests of rocks in which they laid their eggs. We observed that the Shedd Aquarium had Magellanic and Rockhopper penguins from the Antarctic, rather than larger species of penguins.

I was most fascinated by the seahorses and jellyfish, but I must confess that none of my photos really do justice to them. Fortunately, John figured out that taking movies with his iPhone 5 was a much better option.

On our way home, we stopped at a fabric shop, which anyone might have predicted would happen. No matter where we go, there always seem to be visits to fabric or craft stores. I picked up some yarn and some linen to add some trim to an archer’s hood I am making for our son, who is involved in period archery. At the same time, I found a handy little flower-making tool from Clover called Flower Frill Templates.

As you can see, there was something for each of us to enjoy during our visit to Chicago.

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